Identification of subclinical tendon injury from ground reaction force analysis.

The research article revolves around the use of ground reaction forces analysis to develop a diagnostic method for identifying subclinical flexor tendon injuries in Thoroughbreds.

Methodology

• The researchers conducted the study over a span of two years, involving a population of Thoroughbreds in National Hunt training. The primary tool used to obtain records of the horses was a Kistler force plate.
• To identify the injuries, the researchers analyzed the characteristic features of the force patterns generated by the horses. They observed that these features demonstrated low variance, both among different horses and over two racing seasons in horses that remained sound throughout the experiment.

Findings

• Specific alterations in the limb-loading patterns, which were directly associated with injuries of the superficial digital flexor tendon, were identified from horses presenting with clinical injuries during the study.
• A highly significant observation was made upon conducting a retrospective analysis. The team found that changes in the force patterns started appearing before any of the horses in the aforementioned group showed clinical lameness.

Implications

• The research provides a novel method of ground reaction force analysis which can serve as an objective means of detecting tendon injuries in the early stages.
• This can be particularly important for preventing the progression of subclinical injuries into more severe states that could potentially impact a horse’s performance or wellbeing.
• The method can also be potentially used to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of training programs by allowing for proper care and management of horses’ health.